Ek is amper op die einde van my stories oor die Tjeggiese Republiek. Vandag gaan ek julle vertel van die dorpie Kutna Hora, en die effense grieselrige rede waarom ons soontoe is.
Sien, die aantrekkingkrag van Kutna Hora, is die
Sedlec Ossuary, of te wel die Beendere Kerk.
I am coming to the end of my strories about the Czech Republic. Today I am going to tell you about the little town, Kutna Hora, and the somewhat gory reason we went there.
You see, the claim to fame of Kutna Hora, is the Sedlec Ossuary, or if you will, the Bone Church.
Van buite af 'n doodgewone kerkie, met 'n kerhof knus daarom.
From the outside, a ordinary small church, hugged by a cemetery.
Maar binne lyk dinge so bietjie minder gewoon.
But on the inside, a little less ordinary.
Die storie begin in 1278, toe Henry, die hoof van die Sistersiaanse klooster in Sedlec deur die Koning van Bohemia, Koning Otakar II. Henry het teruggekom met 'n bietjie grond wat hy op Golgotha bymegaar gevee het, en dit oor die begrafplaas gespinkel. Berigte daarvan het gou dwardeur Sentraal Europa versprei, en die begrafplaas in Sedlec het 'n gesogte laaste rusplek geword.
In die middel van die 14de eeu, gedurende die Swart Dood, en na die Hussiete Oorlog vroeg in die 15de eeu, is derduisende in die klooster begrafplaas begrawe, en dit moes baie vergroot word.
Rodom 1400 is 'n Gotiese kerk in die middel van die begrafplaas gebou met 'n gewelfde boonste vlak, en 'n laer deel wat gebruik sou word as 'n beenkerker vir die massagrafte wat gedurende die werkery opgegrawe is, en as spasie vir nuwe grafte.
In 1511 is die taak van opgrawery oorgedra aan 'n hlaf-blinde monnik.
Tussen1703 en 1710 is daar 'n nuwe ingang gebou om die voorste muur wat skuins gele het te stut, en die boonste kerk is herbou. Dit is deur Jan Santini Aichel ontwerp in die Tjeggiese Barok styl.
In 1870 is František Rint, 'n houtkerwer deur die Schwartenberg familie aangestel om die hope bene te orden. František, klaarblyklik met net die hulp van sy vrou en kinders, het met groot toewyding en moeite elkeen van die 40 000 menslike beendere skoongemaak en gebleik, om daarmee sy makabere kunswerke te skep.
The story begins in 1278, when Henry, the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Sedlec, was sent to the Holy Land by King Otakar II of Bohemia. He returned with him a small amount of earth he had removed from Golgotha and sprinkled it over the abbey cemetery. The word of this pious act soon spread and the cemetery in Sedlec became a desirable burial site throughout Central Europe.
In the mid 14th century, during the Black Death, and after the Hussite Wars in the early 15th century, many thousands were buried in the abbey cemetery, so it had to be greatly enlarged.
Around 1400, a Gothic church was built in the center of the cemetery with a vaulted upper level and a lower chapel to be used as an ossuary for the mass graves unearthed during construction, or simply slated for demolition to make room for new burials.
After 1511, the task of exhuming skeletons and stacking their bones in the chapel was given to a half-blind monk of the order.
Between 1703 and 1710, a new entrance was constructed to support the
front wall, which was leaning outward, and the upper chapel was rebuilt.
This work, in the Czech Baroque style, was designed by Jan Santini Aichel.
In 1870, František Rint, a woodcarver, was employed by the Schwarzenberg family to put the bone heaps into order. Painstakingly, he (apparantly with only the help of his wife and children) cleaned and bleached every one of the 40 000 bones he crafted into his macabre works of art. See for yourself:
Hierdie is maar 'n paar van die foto's wat ons geneem het. Kan julle nou verstaan wat ek bedoel met makabere kuns?
These are just a few of the pictures we've taken. Do you understand now what I mean by macabre art?
Hier is 'n blik op die kerkhof. Mooi, nê?
A glimpse of the cemetery. Isn't it pretty?
Die Sedlec Katedraal of te wel "The Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist" is net 'n klipgooi van die Beenkerk af. Vir my was dit een van die mooiste katedrale- minder opgesmuk as baie ander, maar steeds 'n glorieryke en baie imposante voorbeeld van barok styl.
The Sedlec Cathedral, or The Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist is just a stone through away from the Bone Church. I find it one of the most beautiful cathedrals- less ornate, but still graceful, and a very imposing example of Baroque architecture.
Ingang na die Katedraal
Entrance to the cathedral
Ongelooflike houtwerk
Wonderful carpentery
Die pragtigste wenteltrap
A beautiful spiral staircase
En hulle eie geraamte in die (glas) kas. Die oorblyfsels van twee martelaars St Felix en St Vincent in glaskaste is in 1742 deur Pous Benedict XIV aan die katedraal geskenk. Nou dit was vir my grillerig! Die geraamtes, ten volle geklee, het was gesigte.
The reliquaries holding Saint Felix’s and Saint Vincent’s relics were donated by Pope Benedict XIV in 1742. These fully clothed sceletons have wax faces. Now this I found creepy!
Die prentjie mooi Kutna Hora was vir my 'n verrassing.
The picturesque town of Kutna Hora was a surprise.
Blommetjies in vensters
Flowers on windowsills
Geheime tuine
Secret gardens
The Italian Court
Kipstraatjies
Cobbled Streets
En baie baie ou geboue.
And very very old buildings.
'n Betowerende klein teekamer
A charming tea room
'n Restaurant genaamd U Šneka pohodáře wat beteken "Die tevrede Slak"
A Restaurant named U Šneka pohodáře which means "The Contented Snail"
Die uitsig uit ons hotelkamer. Ons het in
Hotel Kréta gebly- 'n nederige, maar skoon en gerieflike hotel, met baie redelike tariewe, en hartlike kos.
The View from our Hotel room. We stayed in Hotel Kréta- a humble, but clean and comfortable place, with reasonable prices and wholesome food.
Kutna Hora was 'n onverwagte juweel, en ek is jammer ons het so 'n kort rukkie gehad om daar te spandeer. Maar wie weet, miskien eendag weer...
Kutna Hora was an unexpected jewel, and I am sorry that we couldn't stay a bit longer. But who knows, perhaps there is another chance...
